10.31.2011

10.30.2011

1 in 10 Men Are Binge Eaters, Once a Women's Disorder

Ron Saxen, struggled with binge eating and when he soared past 300 pounds, he lost his lucrative modeling job. Men who binge eat are underrepresented in research, says a new study. (Courtesy Ron Saxen)

The first time Ron Saxen discovered the numbing effects of food, he was 11 and nervously anticipating a beating by his strict father -- a punishing military man who often burst into his son's bedroom to beat him after work. Terrified, the boy devoured a bag of chocolates that lay by his bedside.

"My mother used to keep a note pad if we did things wrong," said Saxen, now 48. "My father would come home late at night and I would wait with my sweaty feet and palms. I had 15 pounds of chocolate candy from a sale at school. I ate one and it took me away."

"I learned at an early age that food erases anxiety," said Saxon, a former model who wrote about how binge eating destroyed his career in his 2007 book, "The Good Eater."

Now, a new study reveals that men like Saxen are overlooked when it comes to diagnosing and treating binge eating, a disorder that affects 4 million Americans and has been historically associated with women.

He'd go to McDonald's and order a couple of Big Macs, large fries, a cheeseburger and a chocolate shake, then go on to Taco Bell for more and follow that with several king-sized candy bars.

Afterwards, horrified by his out-of-control eating, Saxen would run 30 miles. But as he got fatter, he couldn't run and burn off the weight, and he permanently damaged his knees.

When 6-foot, 1-inch tall Saxen ballooned from 180 to nearly 300 pounds, he dodged his modeling agent out of embarrassment and sabotaged his career.

Saxen began to realize he had a problem, but it took years to get help, mostly because of the shame. That, say researchers is one of the reasons male binge eating is largely unrecognized.

"It doesn't surprise me -- it's thought of as a women's disease," said Keith Ayoob, a registered dietitian at Albert Einstein College of Medicine in New York City. "Guys are reluctant to seek help. Eating disorders of all types are socially less acceptable than other addictive behaviors. If you drink or smoke, it may be an addiction, but if it's an eating disorder, you are crazy in society's mind."

Binge eating disorder (BED) is defined as having at least one episode a month of overeating with "a sense of loss of control," according to the study's lead author Ruth Striegel, professor of psychology at Wesleyan University in Middletown, Conn.

Her team used cross-sectional data from a sample of 21,743 men and 24,608 women who participated in a health risk self-assessment screening. They found that 1,630 men (about 7.5 percent) and 2,754 women (11 percent) binge eat.

"Anytime we exclude a population, we are not learning about them," she said. "In a way, we are inadvertently giving the message that men don't have the problem, and they do."

"Data suggests that the impairment is basically just as bad in men as it is in women. Yet we focus only on women."

She estimates anywhere from 5 to 10 percent of all men experience the symptoms of binge eating. "It's not a rare phenomenon."

More women than men, however, report psychiatric symptoms like the "purging" associated with bulimia, according to Striegel.

Binge Eating Associated with Cardiac Disease

Binge eating takes an obvious toll on a man's physical health: obesity and associated cardiovascular disease. But it also has a psychiatric side -- depression, anxiety and sleep problems.

"The problem is they travel together as an expression of distress," said Striegel. "It's way of coping with highly averse emotional states."

She said she hopes doctors and employee assistance programs will recognize this behavioral risk factor in men so they can be properly treated.

Because BED is associated with women, men admit to Striegel anecdotally, "there is a double layer of shame."

Such was the case with Saxen.

"I kept telling myself to buck up and be strong -- to man up," he said. "I didn't want to be part of a therapy group because they would think I was crazy or weak. All I had ever seen were women with eating disorders."

By the time he was 18 or 19 Saxen's weight was beginning to pack on and he was still a virgin. Thinking he was undesirable to women triggered a roller coaster of binge eating and dieting.

"I had unrealistic expectations about being a Joe six-pack," he said.

At one point, he went on a 700-calorie a day diet and dropped 100 pounds. At 21, an agent noticed Saxen's physique and asked him to do some modeling.

10.29.2011

Felicita County Park, 742 Clarence Lane, Escondido
Location: Twenty-five miles northeast of San Diego. Take I-15 north to Via Rancho Parkway exit. Go west 1 mile to Felicita Road, then north to the park entrance.

Faire hours: 10:00 A.M. to DUSK both days.

Under 4 free - Parking $ 5.00
Admission includes all entertainment.

Parking is a short distance away and the site has many picnic tables and shaded areas. The faire site is handicap accessible. It is level and mostly grass covered. Leashed pets are welcome. No horses or large animals.

An extensive children's' play area is adjacent to the Village site.

Alcoholic beverages may not be brought in the event; however, visitors may bring food and soft drinks. All backpacks and coolers are subject to search.

10.28.2011

Oceanside, San Diego – Dia de los Muertos, or “Day of the Dead,” is a Mexican cultural celebration that will transform Old Mission San Luis Rey, “King of the Missions” into an all-day community event that will take place on Sunday, October 30th from 10:00 AM to 4:00 PM. This will be the third year that the mission plays host to this 11th annual event honoring of the deceased. Over twenty-thousand attendees will enjoy the largest festival of its kind in San Diego County. The mission will come alive with entertainment at this FREE family-friendly event including mariachi bands, local ballet folklorico dancing groups, Aztec entertainers, elaborate alters and much more. Your children will be entertained all day with a variety of interactive arts and crafts activities and an exciting mini-carnival. You won’t want to miss out on over 75 diverse vendors, traditional food, chalk alters, and a custom low-rider display from the Siempre Car Club, which will be showcasing traditional alters in their trunks commemorating their loved ones who have passed. Mark your calendars and come down to celebrate with your friends and family!

10.24.2011

10.22.2011

An area of medicine that is receiving huge attention these days is stomach distress and gastrointestinal disorders. Factors that contribute to stomach distress include 1) personal upset 2) prior medications 3) viruses 4) diet and 5) hereditary conditions.Most sufferers experience shame and embarrassment around their physical ailment, especially after their physicians have failed to find any "real problem." As more awareness, research, and funding has been allotted to this area (for both children and adults) small breakthroughs are occurring.

Some common strategies to help the "gut" recover include:

probiotics (just be sure it's one that your system tolerates - not brands are equal)

IFFGD is putting together a taskforce of veterans affected by functional GI disorders to conduct coordinated advocacy activities. Congress is currently looking at bolstering medical research into these conditions and improving access to disability benefits. Affected veterans need to be heard so that lawmakers take appropriate action.

If you know a veteran please pass along this message. If you are an affected veteran please contact IFFGD. Your story needs to be heard by Members of Congress. We'll make sure it is. Contact IFFGD

Overcoming Fears Through Play

We can help children with their fears in the play we do with them, and in how we handle the times when their fears overwhelm them. Helping our children release their fears can be difficult work. It's surprisingly hard to listen to the depth of their fears and griefs. This teleseminar will give you the framework and the tools you need to use everyday play to help your child with difficult issues and to loosen the grip of fear.

10.18.2011

Here is a meaningful discussion about childhood development and our natural longing for spirituality. This is a Christian Perspective - I will post two additional religious perspectives later this week.

[Adapted from Kathy Coffey, Baptism and Beyond:Preparing for Baptism and Nurturing Your Child’s Spirituality(Living the Good News, 2000).]The Parent’s RoleFew parents would refuse to feed a hungry child. Yetmany parents are unsure how to nurture a child’s spiritualhungers. Some may not even know what they are. Oneway to tap into these desires is by remembering yourchildhood.Did you have longings you could not voice, a desire forsomething you could not explain even to those who wereclosest? Perhaps you recall a snatch of music, the soundof a certain voice, a glimpse of the night sky, a fascinationwith a spider web or an affection for a certain blanket orstuffed animal.Maybe a particular smell or taste evoked an inexplicableyearning—not for any food or toy or experience that aparent could provide, but for something beyond all that,not sold at any store.Some theologians call this “desire for I know not what”an echo of God’s desire that creates us and sustains usin being. God brings us into existence and plants in ourhearts a deep thirst for the All, the great mystery, theinfinite love. God is the source of what we most desireand the reason for our being.How can we get in touch with a child’s spiritualityif we’re out of touch with our own? Just as a motherprotects the fetus during pregnancy by avoiding drugs oralcohol, so too the birth of a child calls for many changesin lifestyle.Besides giving up sleep and adjusting schedules, one vitalchange may be to find more quiet time for reflection.Life gets busier with children, which is all the morereason to slow down. Ask what can be eliminated fromyour schedule to give the child (and yourselves!) moretime and peace. It isn’t necessary to enroll your growingchild in every imaginable activity. Quiet, empty time andreflection are essential for the health of the souls of bothchildren and adults.As with every other facet of child development, theparent’s role changes as the child grows. Initially, thechild learns all he or she needs to know about God andhumanity from the parent: that mom or dad can betrusted, that an expression of need will be answered, andthat someone will respond to the most basic attempts tocommunicate.At a time when the child is immensely vulnerable, theparent’s voice and touch reassure that she is not alone,that someone will care for him. The parent who tiresof diaper changes or 2 a.m. feedings should know theimportance of these seemingly mundane tasks. They aremore than physical chores; they teach a child the mostbasic lesson of trust, without which future growth isdifficult or impossible.Encouraging theReligious ImaginationFew parents would argue with the idea that youngchildren have vivid imaginations. Watch their eyes widenat things adults ordinarily take for granted: lightning,dew, the spiral of a cinnamon roll, the rainbow that darkoil reflects in a puddle, bugs, feathers, pebbles and fur.Sophisticated media are also aware of the child’simagination. They appeal to it through movies, television,advertising, because the appeal can be direct and visceral.It bypasses words and ideas to approach the child in avulnerable and easily impressionable place.Listen to any preschooler hum the theme from the latesttelevision show or advertising slogan. Watch as theymodel their favorite cartoon characters. Their T-shirtsoften display the face or logo of a favorite athlete orteam. In later years, they fervently admire sports figuresor movie stars and are firmly convinced that they too canbecome the stars of the playing field or screen.This natural aptitude can be turned to the religiousimagination. Parents interested in encouraging a child’sspirituality can appeal to the imagination on the samegrounds as the media—not necessarily with words andideas, but with symbols and stories.